


But there’s strength behind a lowered gate (A humble embrace, a vulnerable place)

by Some_Dead_Guy



Series: Grindeldore Oneshots [6]
Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, The summer of 1899, Visions, Young Albus Dumbledore, Young Gellert Grindelwald
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-15
Updated: 2019-10-15
Packaged: 2020-12-16 16:30:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21039266
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Some_Dead_Guy/pseuds/Some_Dead_Guy
Summary: Albus finds out Gellert is a seer in the worst way possible.





	But there’s strength behind a lowered gate (A humble embrace, a vulnerable place)

**Author's Note:**

> This is not beta-read so I’m sorry for any mistakes!

The night is humid and hot, the air thick with it’s suffocating warmth. Albus waits at his bedroom window, staring across the garden wall that separates his home from Gellert’s. His attention is on Gellert’s own window, not-so-patiently waiting for him to call Albus over.

They’ve been doing this for the past few weeks, waiting for everyone else to fall asleep before they sneak over to each other’s rooms, or sometimes they’ll even find somewhere else to go. It’s one of those nights where they’re willing to risk sneaking off somewhere. Gellert had sent him a letter earlier in the evening right before dinner, asking Albus to accompany him later in the night. Albus has eagerly agreed, as he always did.

Gellert had started the routine in the first place, begging Albus to find more ways to spend time with him, and Albus caved rather quickly despite his worry. He caved rather quickly anytime Gellert asked him of anything, and instead of it being frightening it was exhilarating, Albus finding someone he loves enough to constantly  _ want  _ to do things for them.

And so they started sneaking off like children, deviant teenagers, and Albus finds that he likes it. He likes doing things he shouldn’t, likes doing those things with  _ Gellert,  _ and  _ oh _ isn’t that a dangerous idea. He’s only known Gellert for barely a month, and he’s already felt more alive in that short time frame then he could ever hope to before Gellert was in his life.

Aberforth was terribly dull, “an idiot who will rot in his ignorance” in Gellert’s words, and Albus was never good with Ariana, so Gellert was just so  _ exciting _ , a breath of fresh air. Gellert was like no one else he’s ever met, incomparable to anyone he had met at Hogwarts, unlike anyone he had met wherever else he’s lived. Gellert was beautiful and brilliant and ambitious, and so much more intellectually stimulating than any of the dullards (except for maybe Bathilda) he could meet in this small village. Gellert was  _ stimulating  _ in various other ways, but Albus tried to push thoughts of that nature away. At least until he actually had Gellert in front of him.

But he is still waiting, bouncing his leg in anticipation. He had to spend the whole day with Aberforth, helping him with shopping and keeping Ariana calm while they were out. It was horribly boring, his mind had wandered multiple times during the outing, the only thing on his mind being Gellert. Gellert and his lips and skin and hair, how he had felt the previous night, how his hands had touched and kissed every spot on Albus’s body.

Aberforth complained each time he noticed Albus get a faraway look, eyes unfocused as he lost himself in his thoughts. Aberforth would kill him if he could see all the indecent things Albus had been thinking,  _ especially  _ since they were about Gellert. Aberforth seemed to hate Gellert, calling him pompous and crazy and annoying. Albus obviously didn’t share the sentiment, but never saw any use in arguing considering nothing would ever get through Aberforth’s thick skull.

He’s thoroughly ripped from any thoughts of his brother when he sees golden hair and heterochromatic eyes peek through the window across the street. Albus smiles, standing up and leaning over the windowsill. Gellert returns his grin, pointing to the front of his house, signaling for Albus to meet him down there.

Albus nods a bit too enthusiastically before he rushes down the stairs, though making sure to be quiet so as to not awaken any of his siblings. He carefully opens the door and when he closes it he immediately runs to Gellert.

He crashes into Gellert, making the taller boy stumble back. Gellert laughs, wrapping his arms around Albus.

“Did you miss me?” Gellert says teasingly, acting as if he doesn’t sulk around anytime he goes without Albus’s attention for more than a few hours.

“ _ Merlin _ , yes. It was so boring without you.” Albus props his chin on Gellert’s chest and looks up at him with a mock pout.

“It was because of your brother, right? I swear he has the same level of intelligence as his goats that he loves so much.” Gellert smiles, endlessly pleased with making fun of Albus’s brother. 

Albus laughs, “You’re so mean to him.”

“He hates me anyway, might as well have fun with it.” Gellert smirks, that glint of mischief ever present in his unique eyes making Albus’s stomach flutter.

Albus shakes his head fondly and reluctantly pulls away, “Where is it that you wanted to go?” He asks curiously, grabbing Gellert’s hand and comfortably interlacing it in his own.

“You’ll see.” Gellert answers, tugging Albus in a direction to the right of Bathilda’s house.

Albus huffs indignantly, “It’s not far, at least?”

“No Albus, it’s not.” Gellert laughs, squeezing Albus’s hand.

They walk in silence for a few moments, and although Albus has never been bothered by silence, he’s not in a silent mood.

“What’d you do all day without me?” Albus aks, bumping his shoulder against Gellert’s.

Gellert sighs dramatically, “Oh, all I could manage to do was dream of you! Every second without your presence was torture! I don’t know how I managed to bear it!”

Albus playfully hits him on the arm, and Gellert only laughs. “But seriously! What’d you do? Surely it was more interesting than what I was stuck doing.”

Gellert hums, “I read through a few books that could pertain to the hollows or the wand, but found nothing new.” Gellert doesn’t seem too upset, though.

“You’re not frustrated?” Albus says, frowning just a bit. Gellert has been agitated lately, restless. Seeing him more flippant when pertaining to the fact they’re making slow progress on The Greater Good is unusual.

“Maybe I’m just happy to see you.” Gellert says, and it strangely seems to be mostly true. Albus has a feeling that there’s something else though, but does not mention it. Gellert’s moods are almost constantly fluctuating, and Albus is still trying to get used to them. 

Albus only nods and drops the subject. They walk for another few minutes, and they don’t speak until Gellert stops. In front of them is a large willow tree, hulking and dark. It’s beautiful, and Albus stares in awe for a moment before Gellert begins to tug him forward.

“Come on, dear.” Gellert says as he pulls him forward.

They stand under it, and it feels cooler there than the area around it. Albus notices fireflies, flickers of lights that float amicably around the tree. Albus watches them with a soft smile, feeling peaceful and happy.

Gellert pulls him down until they’re sitting. “Pretty, isn’t it?” He asks, leaning in hopefully as if he thinks Albus could possibly disagree.

“Yes, yes it is.” Albus looks over at one of the glowing bugs again before turning back to Gellert. “How’d you find this place?”

“Just walking around, exploring.” Gellert says, picking a golden flower from the ground and placing it gently above Albus’s ear. “It somehow reminded me of you.”

Albus’s face almost hurts from smiling, and everything is quiet and sweet. Gellert has a delicate softness in his eyes, genuine in his happiness. Albus kisses Gellert then, and he smiles into it, a closed mouth press of lips that feels right in the moment.

Albus pulls away when Gellert does not respond, and when he looks at Gellert he feels like someone has poured freezing water over him. Gellert’s face is blank, eyes glossed over, unseeing. His skin seems to pale even more, becoming a color that is similar to that of a corpse.

“Gellert?” Albus has half a wit to feel the slightest bit embarrassed when his voice sounds strangled, but he is too panicked to actually care.

Albus carefully places a hand on Gellert’s face, trying to look Gellert in the eye but they seem to see something that Albus can not. “Gellert, are you okay?” 

Albus tries to think that Gellert is only joking, but he is completely unresponsive, expressionless and silent and Albus’s heart begins to race uncontrollably. He cups Gellert’s face in his hands, shakes him slightly, but nothing changes.

“Come on Gellert, you’re scaring me.” Albus’s voice trembles with his fear, and Gellert just  _ stares. _ Albus gets the distinct feeling this is not some sort of joke.

But then Gellert starts  _ screaming _ , babbling incoherently as he dissolves into tears. He’s shaking violently, but he hardly moves and his eyes look as if they’re seeing something that’s not even on the same plane of existence as Albus.

Albus begins to properly panic, rapidly breathing as he grasps desperately at Gellert’s shoulders, trying to wake him from whatever  _ this  _ is. “Gellert, Gellert! Please, come back, please.”

Albus doesn’t know what to do, just leans his head against Gellert’s and  _ prays  _ to whoever’s listening that this will end soon. He can’t even go to Bathilda’s, she’s been gone on a trip for a couple days already, and Abe won’t be of any help, and Albus suddenly feels a coil of terror in his gut. He has no way of helping Gellert, has no idea what’s happening to him, and doesn’t know what to do if it doesn’t  _ stop. _

“I don’t know what to do. Tell me what to do.” Albus pleas, knowing that Gellert likely does not hear him, and all that Albus can hear from him is hysterical sobs.

Gellert sobs Albus’s name, and Albus’s heart drops. He thinks for a moment that Gellert has woken back up, but his eyes are still elsewhere. He won’t stop crying out Albus’s name.

Albus is distantly aware of his own tears, but is too caught up in his helplessness to wipe them away. Gellert is somewhere horrible, and Albus can’t do  _ anything. _

Albus holds Gellert close and repeats like a mantra inside his head  _ please come back, please be okay, please, please, please. _

Gellert gasps, chokes and then finally moves. He claws at Albus’s arms, his breath stutters and he holds Albus so tight that he thinks he’ll probably end up bruised. He doesn’t care, only pulls away from Gellert’s shoulder and manages to look him in the eye.

They’re clear again and focus in on Albus’s face, and Albus never imagined he could feel so much relief at something like that before.

“Albus.” Gellert whispers, voice hoarse and strained.

Albus swallows, “Gellert, what was that?” He asks evenly, despite the wavering in his voice.

“Nothing-”

“Oh, don’t you dare.” Albus threatens, lips trembling with the effort not to cry harder, but Gellert stops anyway.

Gellert and Albus breathe together, calming each other down and steadying themselves. 

Albus feels a flush of anger spread across his face but keeps his voice mild when he says, “Has that happened before?”

Gellert looks somewhere off to Albus’s right and Albus does not have to hear his quiet, “Yes.”, to know he’s right.

Albus grits his teeth, angry tears burning in his eyes. He looks away from Gellert, follows a lightning bug with his eyes as he tries to calm himself down.

“Has that happened before you knew me?”

“Yes.”

“And has that happened while you’ve known me?” Albus looks at him again, and Gellert meets his gaze this time.

“Yes.” He whispers.

Albus exhales harshly, “And what has just happened, and has apparently been happening?” Albus asks, hot with anger but unwilling to blow up. 

“They were visions.” Gellert licks his lips, and Albus does not follow the motion like he would have at any other point. “I’m a seer.”

Albus clenches his fists and feels his resolve crumble.

“And you didn’t think to tell me?!” Albus can’t help but shout, “Gellert, I was  _ terrified!  _ I didn’t know what to do, I had no idea what was happening to you!” Albus is trembling, and he can’t breathe through all the raw emotion he can feel clawing at his throat.

“I was going to tell you, I promise.” Gellert tries to touch Albus’s face, but Albus jerks away. Gellert look upset for a flash of a second before it’s gone, and Albus only feels slightly bad. “Albus, I didn’t know that was going to happen I  _ swear. _ ”

Albus blinks away his tears, “You were screaming. You just kept  _ screaming,  _ and crying, and shaking. You said my name, and you wouldn’t stop.” Albus shakes his head, like doing so would get rid of all the horrible images he keeps seeing, like he could just shake the sound of Gellert breaking apart in front of him out of his mind.

Gellert places his hands on Albus’s shoulders and Albus lets him. “Liebling, I’m sorry. I didn’t know how or when to tell you, but I was going to, I promise. I didn’t want you to find out like this.”

Albus swallows thickly, “What was your vision about?” He asks, wrapping his trembling hands around Gellert’s wrist.

“I don’t remember.” Gellert answers too quickly. He’s  _ lying,  _ he’s lying to Albus again.

“Why are you lying to me?” Albus’s voice cracks, and his chest feels too small to hold the waves of crashing emotions he’s feeling.

Gellert’s hands tighten against his shoulders. “Albus, I'll tell you, just not right now. I know that I shouldn’t ask you of this, but love, please.”

“Okay.” Albus says, nodding his head even though he wants to know  _ now  _ and not later.

“Thank you.” Gellert says gratefully, smiling.

Albus weakly smiles back, his anger slowly seeping away. “Are they always that bad?” 

“No, usually they’re shorter, less intense than that.” Gellert carefully wipes Albus’s tears away, gently rubbing the pads of his thumbs against his cheeks.

Albus grabs Gellert’s hands in his, “Okay, okay that’s good.” He swallows again and nods. 

Neither know what to say next, and Albus just leans into Gellert. He presses his face into Gellert’s shirt, inhales deeply before breathing out against Gellert’s chest. Albus watches the bugs light up around them as he clings to Gellert, and he eventually stops crying, only sniffles every few seconds. 

He’s glad that Gellert is okay no matter how angry and betrayed he felt, Gellert’s safety and well-being was above everything else. And no matter how sure he is that he’s going to scream and yell at him later, he wants to rest at the moment.

He suddenly feels exhausted, heavy and tired and upset. “I’m tired.” Albus rasps, his eyes already closed and he’s leaned heavily against the other boy.

Gellert places a kiss against the top of Albus’s head, whispers, “Would you like to go home?”

Albus nods, “Only if you stay in my bed.”

Gellert smiles against Albus’s hair, and lifts him up. Gellert’s hands are under Albus’s back and knees, and he begins to walk with little difficulty.

“You’re going to be alright, yes?” Gellert says.

Albus hums, “I think so. But don’t lie to me, or keep things from me.”

“Of course.” Gellert says, smiling down at Albus.

“And are you okay?” Albus asks worriedly, realizing he got too caught up in his frustration when Gellert had woken up from his vision to fret over him.

“Yes Albus, I’m fine.” Gellert kisses the top of his head again. “I am surprised, you are far less angry than I thought you would be.”

“Don’t think you’re getting off the hook so easily just yet,” Albus snorts, “Tomorrow, I’m going to yell at you so much that you’ll go deaf, and even if we are in our own rooms I will yell at you from across the street all night, and even when we’re supposed to be reading. I don’t think there is ever going to be a point in which I will  _ not  _ yell at you.”

“Even during sex?” Gellert says, tone mock horrified.

“If you could even get me to have sex with you after the shit you’ve pulled.” Albus grumbles, pouting in a way that he knows is childish.

Gellert chuckles, leans down to whisper in Albus’s ear, “Oh, I’m sure I can find a way to convince you. I find myself to be rather  _ persuasive _ .”

Albus flushes, but still grumbles out, “You’re insufferable and I hate you.”

Gellert laughs, “Oh, how powerful you would be if only you could.”

They are silent after that. Gellert decides to take Albus to Bathilda’s house instead of Albus’s own. He’s too comfortable and tired to even argue.

They reach Gellert’s room and Gellert places Albus down on his bed and climbs in right after. They are still dressed, but Albus immediately clings onto Gellert anyway. 

Albus yawns, “I should probably go home early in the morning. I don’t want my brother to notice I left.”

Gellert hums noncommittally, obvious in the fact he has no intentions of allowing Albus to leave any earlier than he wants him to.

“Also, remind me to be mad at you in the morning.” 

“Of course, dear.” Gellert kisses his temple, and Albus can feel his smile against his skin.

Albus slowly begins to drift off, warm and content wrapped up in Gellert. He still knows that there are things to talk about, things Gellert has lied about and has not told him, but allows them to slip away. He just wants Gellert in this moment, in this heat and tangle of limbs.

They never do talk about it, and Albus thinks that’s one of the first mistakes he makes, among the many that cause everything to go horribly wrong.

**Author's Note:**

> I’m not sure if I like this one?  
I’m not sure if I like any of my fics though lmao, but I like posting them anyway because they’re quite fun to write.


End file.
